Message from
Hon. Datuk Ir. Idris Haron,
President, World Assembly of Youth (WAY)
The world today commemorates the International Youth Day and is marked
by celebrations of their achievements, and reckoning their
capabilities while on the other hand, the day also marks the end of
the International Year of Youth.
Over the past year WAY together with youth, have been doing tremendous
works towards the world’s most concerning matters such as to rise for
peace and sustainable development, develop partnerships and social
networks, eradicate hunger and poverty, combat HIV/AIDS, promote
gender equality, decrease unemployment and many other issues. Despite
the untiring work being done, there is still a considerable number of
draw backs such as violence and victimization, youth services at risk,
and having no access to education.
It is exhilarating to acknowledge that the youth today will stop at
nothing to achieve their goals and make sure they voice out ‘Change
Our World’ as this year’s theme suggests. This generation is smart,
open minded, talented and vibrant, aware of the world around them,
modernized, idealistic, promotive of the innovative uses of new
technologies and full of power and strength, even though a number of
them are still negative about their future. Such kind of desirable
attributes should be harnessed for a better change, changing their own
world.
The global community needs to join forces to educate the youth, help
them not to waste their youth away, in entertainment and other worldly
pleasures. As Benjali Diraeli once quoted, “We live in an age when to
be young and to be indifferent can be no longer synonymous. We must
prepare for the coming hour. The claims of the Future are represented
by suffering millions; and the Youth of a Nation are the trustees of
Posterity.” The older generation should support, encourage and
motivate youth development towards the idea of being the best they can
be; resourceful and influential while holding on to virtues of
self-worth, love, unity, peace and tolerance.
As President of WAY, I would like to exalt this message to all youth
leaders and youth alike to implement suggested youth projects and
policies towards building a better place where human rights are
practiced and suffering curbed. Let all youth rise!
